5 Costco Bakery Items You Can Get Cheaper At Sam's Club

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When it comes to the battle of bakeries — Sam's Club versus Costco — Costco may have a cult following, but Sam's Club isn't about to let it have all the bakery glory pricewise. If you're a regular Costco bakery shopper, you might be surprised by how much some familiar favorites cost at its wholesale rival. And while Costco has built a reputation for its oversized portions (like the favorite four-pound dessert, strawberry cream pie) and versatile baked goods, Sam's Club bakery may be a hidden gem, offering similar items for less without sacrificing the qualities shoppers love about Costco baked goods.

Whether you're shopping for a sweet treat to share, breakfast staples, or something to bring to your next gathering, knowing where to find the best deal can make a difference. While both warehouses offer an abundance of baked goods, the five items on this list are popular Costco bakery favorites with nearly identical counterparts at Sam's Club offered at a lower price. When comparing the two retailers, factors such as unique characteristics, package sizes, and serving sizes were also considered to help determine whether shoppers are getting a better deal.

Depending on what you're buying from Costco's bakery, how much, and how often, it may be worth switching up your usual Costco run — or even your membership — to save on items you were already planning to buy.

Costco's bakery offers Custom Half Sheet White Cake with 48 servings, starting at $31.77. Meanwhile, Sam's Club offers its Member's Mark Custom Half Sheet Cake, which serves 36 to 48 people, with a flat rate of $23.84. Both retailers offer customization for different occasions. By default, Costco's half sheet white cake features an elegant border of white buttercream frosting, as well as its fan-favorite vanilla cheesecake mousse filling. Sam's Club's half sheet cake comes with no default border design, but instead, allows shoppers several customization options including choosing between either cake decorations or a border design. The cake itself differs from Costco's, as it has a single layer, but can also be customized into a white, chocolate, or marble cake flavor, and frosted with either a whipped or white buttercream frosting.

While Sam's Club doesn't offer the same tasty filling as Costco, its cake is a comparable option for shoppers who want a classic white cake but don't need the extra filling. For birthdays, graduation parties, and other celebrations, Sam's Club's custom half sheet cake could be a worthwhile pick over Costco if you're looking for a customizable dessert to serve a crowd, while also saving nearly $8.

Kirkland Signature Triple Chocolate Muffins are considered one of the best desserts at Costco, costing $7.93 for an eight-count pack, which equates to 99 cents per muffin and seemingly a bargain. Over at Sam's Club however, the warehouse offers a comparable alternative with its Member's Mark Double Chocolate Muffins, priced at $6.82 for a six-count pack. While you're getting two fewer muffins and one less chocolate element, making the price per muffin more, the overall lower package price isn't the only factor worth considering when comparing the two brands.

The total net weight for a pack of Kirkland Signature Triple Chocolate Muffins is 27 ounces, while a pack of Member's Mark Double Chocolate Muffins weighs 35 ounces. That means each Sam's Club muffin weighs approximately 5.8 ounces, compared with about 3.4 ounces for Costco's version. Despite containing fewer muffins, Sam's Club's pack of muffins offers eight more ounces of product for $1.11 less, making Sam's Club the better value for shoppers looking to get more muffin for their money. Plus, their larger size may also appeal to shoppers who prefer a heartier muffin, whether they want to share, save half for later, or freeze extras to enjoy another day. And while Members Mark muffins don't contain chocolate chunks like Kirkland Signature muffins, the chocolate chips throughout Sam's Club muffins still provide a chocolatey bite.

I don't think I've ever left a Costco trip without purchasing a pack of its Kirkland Signature Variety Cookies. The 24-pack of cookies comes with an assortment of chocolate chunk, macadamia nut, and oatmeal raisin cookies, with eight cookies each, priced at $11.34 or about 47 cents per cookie. However, Sam's Club might be tempting me to reconsider where I buy this bakery staple. Its Member's Mark Cookie Variety Pack offers the same assortment of flavors as Kirkland Signature for $7.48 per 18 cookies. While you're getting six fewer cookies than Costco's pack, each cookie weighs approximately 1.5 ounces, the same as its Kirkland Signature counterpart. But with the price difference, each cookie is about 42 cents.

While Costco cookies are considered better than Sam's Club by some, if you're like me and prefer to stock up on cookies for sharing, entertaining, or satisfying a sweet tooth throughout the week, buying two packs of Member's Mark cookies could be worth it. At $14.96 for 36 cookies, you'd get a dozen more cookies than Costco's 24-pack for just $3.62 more. That makes Sam's Club an appealing option for shoppers who prioritize quantity and want to keep a variety of cookies on hand.

Costco Kirkland Signature Tuxedo Chocolate Mousse Cake is a chocolate lovers dream with layers of chocolate cake, white and chocolate mousse, brownie chunks, chocolate ganache, and chocolate decorations, costing $21.55 for 12 servings — about $1.80 per slice. But you can satisfy your chocolate cravings with a nearly identical cake at Sam's Club for less. Sam's Club offers its Tuxedo Bar Cake with Chocolate Mousse, which features layers of chocolate cake, chocolate and cream cheese mousse, and a chocolate ganache topping. It costs just $16.94 for 10 servings or $1.69 per serving. Although Costco's cake offers two more slices than Sam's Club, it weighs only slightly more at 42 ounces versus 39 ounces. That means you'll pay $4.61 less for Sam's Club's version, though the size difference is minimal.

While this is a Costco chocolate dessert worth buying and one that may appeal to shoppers who want a few extra chocolatey touches (including brownie chunks and chocolate decorations) Sam's Club's cake still delivers the rich, layered dessert experience that makes a tuxedo cake so appealing. For shoppers who prioritize getting their chocolate fix without spending quite as much, Sam's Club Tuxedo Bar Cake makes a satisfying alternative, offering similar layers of cake, mousse, and ganache for a more budget-friendly price.

One of the best breakfast pastries in Costco's bakery department is Kirkland Signature Butter Croissants, thanks to their delightful flavor, versatility, and appealing price. A 12-count pack costs $6.80 or about 57 cents per croissant. Sam's Club, however, offers the same kind of flaky goodness at an even better deal with its 12-count of Member's Mark All Butter Sandwich Croissants, priced at $5.96 or about 50 cents per croissant. Not only do you get the same number of croissants per pack at Sam's Club as at Costco, but you also get slightly more product by weight for less money. Member's Mark croissants have a total net weight of 32 ounces versus 28 ounces for the Kirkland Signature version.

For households that regularly reach for these buttery pastries throughout the week, choosing the more affordable option at Sam's Club could mean enjoying a familiar favorite while saving a little more per year. Buying one pack of Member's Mark All Butter Sandwich Croissants each week would save shoppers about $44 a year compared to Costco, based on the 84-cent price difference per package.